Prelinguistic Skills

Before babies begin to use words, they develop a set of prelinguistic (or "before language") skills. These early skills lay the foundation for their ability to communicate and understand language later in life. As parents and caregivers, understanding these skills can help you support your baby's development.

What are some examples of Prelinguistic skills?

• Joint attention: This is when a baby and caregiver focus on the same object or event, sharing attention. For example, when you point to a toy and your baby looks at it, you’re engaging in joint attention.

• Communicative intent: Babies begin to understand that their actions can communicate a need or desire. For example, looking, pointing, reaching, or making sounds to get your attention are early forms of communication.

• Shared enjoyment: This is the ability to share joy or interest with another person, like smiling or laughing together during play.

• Eye Contact: Eye contact is one of the earliest ways babies connect with others. It’s a key component of building relationships and establishing joint attention.

• Imitation: Babies learn by mimicking the actions, sounds, and facial expressions of their caregivers. Imitation helps them practice communication skills and develop motor patterns for speech.

• Babbling and Vocal Play: Babbling (e.g., "ba-ba" or "da-da") is an early form of vocal experimentation. It shows that babies are starting to learn the sounds of their language and practicing how to use their voices to communicate.

• Turn-Taking: Taking turns in interaction, whether through vocalizations, gestures, or actions, is an early precursor to conversational skills. Games like peek-a-boo and back-and-forth sound play help develop this skill.

• Gestures: Gestures, like waving, pointing, or reaching, are key ways babies communicate before they have words. Pointing and reaching are important milestones that indicate intentional communication and shared attention.

• Responding to Name: When a baby consistently turns their head or looks at you when you say their name, it demonstrates their growing understanding of social cues and attention to language.

• Sound Localization: Turning toward a sound or voice demonstrates attention to auditory information. This is an early indicator of their ability to process and respond to sounds, which is crucial for language development.

• Anticipation of Routines: When babies show excitement or readiness for familiar routines (e.g., raising their arms to be picked up or giggling before a tickle game), they demonstrate understanding of predictable events and sequences.

Why Are These Skills Important?

Prelinguistic skills are the building blocks of communication. They help babies learn how to engage with others, process language, and develop social connections. Strong prelinguistic skills are associated with later success in speech and language development. Babies who actively engage in joint attention, gestures, vocal play, and imitation are more likely to develop clear and effective communication skills as they grow. By supporting these early abilities, you are helping your child build the foundation for understanding and using words, following conversations, and engaging in meaningful interactions.

10 Ways to Promote Prelinguistic Skills at Home

1. Use Animated Facial Expressions – Exaggerate your expressions when talking to your baby to capture their attention and encourage engagement. Babies are naturally drawn to expressive faces, and this helps them learn social cues and emotions.

2. Encourage Joint Attention – Point to objects, follow your baby’s gaze, and name what they’re looking at to build shared attention.

3. Imitate Your Baby’s Sounds and Actions – If your baby babbles, repeat their sounds back to encourage vocal play and turn-taking.

4. Play Social Games – Games like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake teach turn-taking and shared enjoyment.

5. Engage in Mirror Play – Sit in front of a mirror with your baby and make faces, encouraging them to watch, smile, and imitate your expressions.

6. Pause and Wait for a Response – Give your baby time to process and respond in interactions, even if it’s just a glance or sound.

7. Encourage Gestures – Use and model gestures like waving, clapping, and pointing to help your baby learn to communicate before words.

8. Create Predictable Routines – Repeating familiar songs, phrases, or actions helps babies anticipate and participate in interactions.

9. Follow Your Baby’s Lead – Observe what interests your baby and engage with them by commenting, smiling, or joining in their play.

10. Sing Interactive Songs – Songs like “If You’re Happy and You Know It” or “The Wheels on the Bus” encourage gestures and participation.
    

Prelinguistic skills are the building blocks of your baby's communication journey. By focusing building skills like joint attention, communicative intent, and shared enjoyment, you can help your baby develop the skills they need to understand and use language. The best part? Supporting these skills doesn’t require special tools or expensive toys, just lots of loving interaction, play, and responsiveness to your baby’s cues.

If you have concerns about your baby’s communication milestones, consider reaching out to a pediatric speech-language pathologist for guidance.

Follow me on Instagram, TikTok, & Youtube!